Organ donation, donating body are different

Posted: Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Dear Dr. Gott: My husband and I have decided to be organ donors. We are also discussing donating our bodies to medical science. Can you please discuss the details of making a cadaver donation? How do we find the right institution to donate to, and what needs to be done in advance?

What costs are involved, and can the donor specify what can and cannot be done with the body? In terms of medical science, please explain exactly what the body is used for, how it is used, and what is done with any remains. Thank you in advance for the information.

Dear Reader: To begin with, there is a great difference between organ donation and donating a body to medical science. Furthermore, there are several types of donations, including organ and tissue from a living donor, donations following cardiac or brain death, and whole-body donations. Organ donation can include stem cells, tissue, blood and organs. If this is your wish, register with your state donor registry if you have one. Not all states do, so don't be concerned if you live in a state that lacks a registry. Have the notation incorporated onto your driver's license, and sign a donor card that you carry with you at all times. Donor cards can even be downloaded from the Web site www.organdonor.gov/donor/index.htm.

In terms of donating your body to medical science, as far as I can tell, every medical school accepts donations.

In fact, the supply can't meet the demand. There are restrictions regarding geographic locations because of transportation costs involved. Offers outside a specific area may be accepted, however, providing a donor's estate bears the cost of transportation. Specific details can be obtained from the bequeathal secretary of your nearest medical school. The process is relatively simple when all rules are followed.

Under the Human Tissue Act (HTA) of 2004, written and witnessed consent for anatomical examination must be given prior to death by the person donating his or her remains. No one else can donate a cadaver postmortem.

By law, no medical school in the United States is allowed to buy a body from a family or estate.

Other than being 18 years of age or older, there is no age limit when donating to medical science, because a determination of acceptance is based on physical condition. There is no price tag involved for the donation. Generally speaking, a body is accepted by an institution within 48 hours and transported by a licensed funeral director.